Athenahealth Taps Former GE CEO Jeff Immelt as Chairman

Former General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt (MBA 1982) has been tapped as the new chairman of athenahealth, the Massachusetts-based health care IT company founded by Jonathan Bush (MBA 1997). Bush, who serves as CEO, will stay on the board. Immelt left GE last August.

The search for a new chairman was prompted in mid-2017 after activist investing firm Elliott Management bought a 9 percent share of the company. That move also triggered about $100 million in cost-cutting changes, including 400 layoffs.

In making the announcement, athenahealth noted that Immelt had overseen the growth of GE Healthcare to a $20 billion business.

Immelt was also recently brought in as a venture partner at New England Associates, one of the country’s largest venture capital firms.